Iconic 'gum wall' gets first clean in decades

9th of December 2015
Iconic 'gum wall' gets first clean in decades

A famed 'gum wall' in Seattle, where tourists and residents have stuck used chewing gum for the past 20 years, has been cleaned by city authorities.

The 'gum wall' was plastered with one million pieces of used chewing gum and became a city landmark over the past 20 years. The wads of gum came in many colours and some stretched to make elaborate messages and designs.

Pictures, business cards and other mementos were also attached to an estimated 1,000kg of gum stuck to the wall.

Now authorities have used powerful steam cleaners to clean the wall in the Pike Place Market.

A spokeswoman for the market, Emily Crawford, said despite the wall's popularity, it was in urgent need of a clean.

Zoe Freeman, who works near Pike Place, said: "The market is famous for the gum wall. But it also draws rats."

 

 

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